Tokyo, Japan - November 25, 2010
Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that it has developed a new flat panel display (FPD) driver IC test system that supports high-speed interfaces. This new product will be released in March 2011. The ST6731 is a high-end model FPD driver test system that supports interfaces having data rates*1 of 2 Gbps or faster while retaining all the features and functions of our popular ST6730.
This product will be exhibited at the SEMICON Japan 2010 trade show, which starts on December 1, 2010 at the Makuhari Messe international convention complex.
ST6731 FPD Driver Test System
Development Background
The flat panel displays used in 3-D television sets and the like are steadily increasing in size and resolution, and the resolution of the displays used in portable communication devices such as smart phones (high-performance mobile phones) is also improving. Given the increasing volume of data that must be processed per unit of time, there is a rising demand for ever more efficient test solutions that can process data at high rates of speed. Driver IC test systems now need to support interfaces that have data rates of 2 Gbps or faster. The ST6731 meets this requirement, and it is also possible to upgrade the ST6730 so that it too can support these high-speed interfaces.
Product Features
- Support for high-speed interfaces
The ST6731 achieves a data rate of 2.52 Gbps and can test FPD driver ICs with 2 Gbps or faster interfaces such as those in 3-D television sets. - Upgrade option
At one third the cost of purchasing a new ST6731 system, it is possible to upgrade the ST6730 to support these high-speed interfaces. This can be done by installing additional hardware and software for use with the existing ST6730 main unit and peripherals. The upgrade can be done on site, which saves both time and cost by eliminating the need to transport the driver test system to another location. - Measurement of high-speed data signals
The ST6731 can measure output signals in two ways. In a gray-scale test*2 that defines the display colors of an FPD, the test system sends input signals to the DUT and then measures its output signals. To evaluate the accuracy of a driver IC's output signals, the ST6731 can also directly process images and other types of data that are stored on and output by the DUT, something that previously could not be done by test systems.
Main Target Markets
Manufacturers and test houses that perform tests of FPD driver ICs used in smart phones and other types of portable communication devices, flat screen/3-D television sets, etc.
Applications
Wafer-level and final testing of FPD driver ICs
*1 Data rate
The volume of data that can be transmitted within one second (unit: bps)
*2 Gray-scale testing
A test mode to define the display colors of an FPD in which the settings of inputs to a driver IC are changed to vary the output voltage and all output signals are tested. A standard driver IC with 256 tones has about 1,000 output pins; the driver test system measures these and judges the accuracy of the output voltage.
About Yokogawa
Yokogawa's global network of 25 manufacturing facilities and 80 companies spans 54 countries. Since its founding in 1915, the US$3 billion company has been engaged in cutting-edge research and innovation, securing more than 7,200 patents and registrations, including the world's first digital sensors for flow and pressure measurement. Industrial automation and control, test and measurement, information systems and industry support are the core businesses of Yokogawa. For more information about Yokogawa, please visit our web site at www.yokogawa.com